Self-shank button



July 24, 1934- R. P. MAGNENAT 1,967,953

SELF SHANK BUTTON Filed Nov'. 13, 1953 R ENE R MAGNENAT INVENTOR BY M WW ATTORN EY Patented July 24, 1934 1,967,958

UNITED sures PATENT orFicE sELF-Silz iiUTToN the Waterbury Button Gompany, Waterbury, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut- Al plication November 13, 1933, SeriaLNo. 697,706,

4 Claims. (01-; 2490) This invention relates to, self-shank buttons the shank, thereby permitting the insertion. of a a d m re especially to the construction of the needle while it is inclined. at an angle either to threadholes, shank-s, andbacks of suchbuttons. the plane of the back of the button. or to the Inself-shankbuttonsthe thread by which, the perpendicular plane through the threadhol'e,

-. 5 button is fastened to the garment is, passed thereby permitting the button to be tipped in. a 00v through a. transverse hole in the shank. In the pluralityof ways while sewing, but allowing for performance of its function of securing and holda. substantial; and, strong body of. material; sufii: ing the. overlapping partv of a, garment flat. and cient to prevent. fracture of the button under mooth upon the overlapped: part of the garment stresses on. the threads and through them on; the

-.l- J. it is important tohave the button properly spaced part; of the shank between. the threadhole and ii from the garment to which it. is. sewed so. that the end ofthe shank. Another important objece the'back of the button will overlie and truly cone tive is the elimination ofthe brasion, r utting tact. the surface of the overlapped. piece of the of the threads on any sh pn led edges garment in a buttonhole, but if the back of the protuberances liable to contact the threads. It 1 button stands out too far from the surface of is also clear that as the length of theshanlc of 10.

the overlapped part of the garment the, back thebutton-isincreasedthe length of the counter-v Of the button obviously; does not serve to press sunk approachesin the back of: the button is (ice the overlapped part of the garment. flat and so creased-butthatthe enlarged apertures remain on wrinkling or bulging of the garment may take both sides-of the; shank so facilitatingar dassur- '20; place in the buttoned condition thereby detracte nsertion andpassa e-Qfthr n ed e ing from both the appearance and the fitof'the through the h f h han The. ov d garment. From the foregoing discussion itnow tunnel like approachesmay lie entirely within the becomes apparent that in. manufacturing self:-. walls-ofthe shank. shank buttons forgarmentsmade of relatively. R r ce iS.IW mad to he d aw g, which .25; thin. materials it is important-to the perfect tuncis; hereby: made a part ofthis specification, in 80' tioning of the button in the sewed position on, the which garment that the shank ofv the button. be short, Fig. 1. is; a transverse section in avertical per! orin other words that the length. of the shank pendicular plane through the threadhole,

does: not greatly: exceed the thickness of the gar- Fig. 2- is an end view at right angles to that of L ment. If however the button be used: on the Fig. 1, and 85 garmentmerely for ornamental; purposes a. short Fig. 3" is a rear view ofthe button. shank on a self-shank button is even more de- Like numerals. of, reference refer to like parts sirable in order to maintain thebuttonin an. erect throughout the drawing, in which isshown a butposition on. the garment. This; desired; shortness ton 1 madeof moldable material such as bake of. the shank of the button. produces. the problem lite having a front surface'of any desired design 9 of the threadhole, the problem of providing sufli-l and having a fiat or plane-surfacedback 2 from cient strength. of material. in the shank surroundthe center of which projects the self-sshanl: 3 ing the hole, and; the problem of a. minimum through, which the threadhole 4 extends transamount of relative movement between the button verselyi The form of this. hole and the for-mrof 40' and the needle in passing the threaded needle the construction of? the Walls. are similar in; part 951 through the threadhole and sewing the button to aStandard-subriver vehicular-tunnel inyerted'.

13 t garment- Studies n t s field finally pm On each side of the shank 3 is a countersunk duced a new and distinctive form of threadhole groove 8, each symmetrically positioned with re like unto an underriver tunnel in which the inner spent to the other, having perpendicular side wall of the threadhole sinks below the surface walls 10 and an inner curved, wall 5 so curved 100 of the back of the button, wit i eas y c u on either side as to gradually and increasingly fi u approaches Starting at points in the k countersink the groove 8 as it merges into the of the button sli tly r v d r t e shank threadhole 4. This inner wall 5 curves in well on both sides thereby greatly facilitating the sewbelow the surface of the back 2 and emerges syming of the button on the garment by providing an metrically on the opposite side of the shank 3, so 195 ea y found and Sure guide or the needle point that the entrances to the threadhole are symon either side of the threadhole, and in which the metrical. The outer wall 6 of the threadhole 4 in outer wall is in the form of a much sharper curve the intermediate portion thereof is a curve of than the inner wall so that the aperture of the much shorter radius than that of the inner wall hole is enlarged at the entrance on either side of 5 and at either end the wall 6 terminates in a 5 reference to the garment.

curve 11 tangentially related to a vertical plane through the end of the wall. When the end of the shank is fiat the centers of these curves 11 forming the ends of the wall 6 lie in the plane of the end of the shank 3, so the perpendicular aperture or vent 9 to the threadhole 4 is open-mouthed at either end and yet a substantial wall of material at the central point of the shank overlies the threadhole 4. The importance of this construction becomes selfevident when it is understood that when the button is sewed to a garment the threads overlie the wall 6 of the threadhole 4 so that strength is essential at the central part of the shank 3 to prevent fracture of the shank due to stresses on the threads. 7 It will be noted also that this construction permits the threads to lie down close near the end of the shank 3, which is substantially fiat, thereby holding it securely in the fixed position of the garment. These smallradius curves ll assure complete elimination of any liability at either opening of the threadhole of a sharp or angled edge abrading or cutting any thread used to fasten the button toa garment. The flat end 7 of the shank 3 insures that the button will securely stand erect in a perpendicular position on the garment. The countersinking of the inner wall 5 below the back 2 serves two important functions; first, it permits a short selfshank 3 with ample moldable material between the threadhole and the end of the shank to resist fracture or rupture caused by the stresses on the threads which fasten the button to the garment; and second, it permits a wide variation in the angle of insertion of a threaded needle without danger of breaking the point, which in turn.

gives a greater factor of safety in the operation of sewing on a button. It will also be clear that in sewing on a button the needle point will tend to engage the surface 8 and travel along this surface and so be clear and away from threads already laid over the wall 6 of the threadhole so that in repassing through the threadhole the needle point does not pass through any of the thread already laid. These same two functions L attested above are similarly served by the enlarged vent or aperture 9. The curved walls 11 eliminate any sharp edges or angles liable to abrade or break a thread. The grooved counter sink 8 on either side of the shank 3 serves as a guide to the needlepoint and further enhances the factor of safety in sewing on a button. This factor of safety is also an assurance of efficiency in preventing the needlepoint from missing the thread hole because of any tilting of'the button with The perpendicular walls 10 of the groove 8 act as stops and so hold theneedlepoint surely in the groove.

' Having disclosed one embodiment of my invention and having-depicted the manner of its use it will be understood that modifications in the size, form or design may be made by any mechanic "the threadhole at the center lying below the back of the button and the outer wall of the threadhole being formed in a much sharper curve than the inner wall whereby the aperture of the threadhole on either .side is substantially larger than the central part of the threadhole.

2. A self-shank button for clothing formed of an integral piece of moldable material comprising in combination, a disc-like portion having a plane-surfaced back, a shank extending centrally and 'rearwardly from the back, a transverse threadhole through said shank, the inner wall of the threadhole at the center lying below the back of the button'and the outer wall of the threadhole being formed in a much sharper curve than the inner wall whereby the entrance to the threadhole on either side is substantially larger than the central part of the hole, and increasing-'- lycountersunk grooves in the'back on both sides of and connecting with the. threadhole.

3. A self-shank button for clothingformed of an integral piece of moldable material comprising in combination, a-disc-like portion having a plane-surfaced back, a shank extending centrally and rearwardly from the back, a transverse threadhole through said shank, the inner wall of the threadhole at the center lying below the back of the button and the outer wall of the threadhole being formed in much sharper curves than the inner wall whereby the entrance to the threadhole on either side is substantially larger than the central part of the threadhole, and increasingly countersunk grooves in the back .on both sides of and connecting with the threadhole, the walls of said countersunk grooves being perpendicular.

4. A self-shank button for clothing formed of an integral piece of moldable material comprising'in combination, a disc-like portion having a plane-surfaced back, a shank extending centrally and rearwardly from the back and having a substantially flat end, and a transverse threadhole through said shank, the inner wall of the threadhole being curved inwardly towards the back of thebutton and the outer wall being curved concurrently .but to a much shorter radius whereby the end of the shank can be securely fastened at each side in sewing it on a garment and an enlarged aperture to the threadhole is presented on either side of the shank.

RENE P. MAGNENAT.- 

